Sunday, November 2, 2008

Every Muscle in My Body Hurts

Hamstrings and glutes are screaming at me. They aren't happy sitting. They aren't happy standing. They REALLY aren't happy moving. While six plus hours of gardening yesterday wasn't a big cardio workout, it was clearly a muscle workout.

For some reason I thought the bags of tulips I had bought were bags of 50, not bags of 100. I also got five flats of pansies, which was just enough! So in total, I planted almost 400 plants yesterday. OMGoodness! I didn't think it was going to take me all day either. Now, I know. I still have to spread mulch down the side garden but as it was getting really dark by the time I planted the last of the pansies, I decided I'd do that today. I hope this spring it will look glorious!

I have planted pink and purple (really dark pink) tulips amid lavender, purple and cream colored pansies. I am hoping for a look like this in the spring:

I am also hoping that by planting pansies on top of the tulips and then putting cedar mulch on top, that the squirrels won't be able to find the bulbs. Two years ago, I planted around 100 bulbs and the darn squirrels dug each one up, took a bite out of them and threw them aside. I replanted only to have the darn squirrels dig them all back up again. Oh and this year I sprayed the bulbs with something that the garden shop recommended. It has some bitter taste so it prevents squirrels from eating the bulbs. It also smells like skunk and the vapors leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Fingers are crossed that by the spring all turns out beautiful!

So this is what my yard looks like now:

The side yard. In the spring, early summer, I want to plant hydrangeas under the bay window and crepe myrtle to either side and then a bunch of different perennial flowers

I hope that I don't get a nasty gram from the HOA about putting up path lights along the side of the house. It is so dark along the side of my house. This is what it looked like last night after I cleaned up everything. I HATE pulling my trash bins up the side in the dark. I usually turn on the patio and the deck lights but as you can see, they don't provide much to the side yard. I do also turn my dining room light on. Its just dark and scary. I do worry about some person jumping out at me from the shadows. These at least provide a little more illumination. Not much.

I just have to share a photo of this glorious tree in the neighborhood. I love trees that turn either really bright yellow or really bright red. I'm not so much into the brownish yellows and reds. It is turning brown at the top but the lower branches are still beautiful yellow!

Final thought, I was so looking forward to the extra hour of sleep. Really excited. As usual, it took forever to fall asleep and then, as usual, I woke up four hours after I fell asleep and couldn't fall back asleep. The only difference was that I woke up an hour earlier than usual. GRRRRRRR. So, I've been awake since 3 a.m. It wouldn't be so bad if when I woke up I was alert and ready to go, its a groggy, non-functional, awake and I doze in and out of sleep the rest of the night, never reaching that REM deep sleep. The blood tests came back on Friday. Everything is normal. No sugar, anemia, or thyroid issues. Its a good thing, but its frustrating because I don't know why I can't sleep.

1 comment:

Many gardeners during my Mother's time use to use medium chicken wire laid down just under the soil to keep the squirrels from getting to the bulbs.If i remember correctly Mom use to bend the edges down into the ground about 4-6 inches to discourage them from digging into the the area from the sides.Putting plants in the dirt on top of the wire never seem to stop the roots of thos plants from prospering.

Hope this bit of information helps you in your battle with the squirrels.

About Me

Welcome to Scuttlebutt Fuzz!

This is the place where I share the things going on in my life such as travel, family events, interesting people I meet and things going on at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (where I volunteer). Writing and photography are ways that I process new things or events. Yes, there may be an occasional work vent or political/current event rant. That said, the views and opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of any organization I may be affiliated with.